Turkey Day

I've made it through the first major holiday sans husband. It wasn't so bad. I got to talk to him on the phone. AND I get to see him in three weeks :) The next "holiday" to make is through is my birthday, but I do get to see him at Christmas time. Anyway, I thought I'd make a boring list of things I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving (All ten minutes that are left of it)

List of Thanks as follows:

~I got a phone call from my husband today :) He's in Boston.
~I had a friend to go see the Twilight movie with! Cheesy, but awesomely bad.
~Stove top stuffing.
~Cranberry sauce that retains the shape of the can it came from.
~For festive Christmas decor. A little bird told me if you stop caring about decorating your home you might be depressed. I am NOT depressed-I am full of Christmas decorating cheer!
~Family! Young and old, I am very thankful towards them all.
~I have a new book about Dragons to read (Thanks Marty!)
~That my cat loves me so much
~That Heidi and Spencer got married.
~I think all my students got to eat turkey today. I thought of them often.
~Honestly, I'd like to thank the crayola family of products. I really like them. This might be a teacher thing-but hey
~The "pictures in seconds" machine at CVS. I really like this invention. Thanks Kodak!
~For having a best friend.
~For my parents always letting me crash at thier house and never giving me the evil eye when I ask.
~For Jesus, my Savior, who uses the weak to shame the strong. Thank goodness He loves and cherishes the weak! AND that He is looking over each and everyone of my little charges during this time!
~For my husband, who is really awesome and whom I love very much. Who is a manly patriotic man serving the Lord in the military and being really dedicated. I miss him very much, but am thankful for the stand up kind of guy he is. It was tough to go through Thanksgiving without him, but I know that it's for a good reason.
So, that's about all. I mean, I'm thankful for lots more, but this is just what came off the top of my head.
Love, Kaley

Seven Quirks

I'm writing this in response to a "blog-tag" by Drea- old roommate, wedding photographer, and friend. I hope you all still decide to be my friend after I unveil the craziness.

1- I love birds. I watch them all the time. While I can't tell a nighthawk from a wood thrush, I just love them. I wish I knew cool facts about them, but you'd be surprised how much people buy when you make up facts about wildlife. Mostly, I am obsessed with birds of prey-you know-raptors and the like. I used to know how much a red tailed hawk ate in a day...down to the ounce. And I get pretty excited whenever I see my red shouldered hawk friend on 97. Like I tell the kids "City wildlife is all around you, if you just open your eyes!"

2- I love children's fantasy novels. No, not grown up books-ones for kids, with no curse words or raunchy-ness. You name it, I've read it. Peter pan, The Princess
Academy, The Black Cauldron... And oh the places I've been: Narnia, Never never land, and even Charles Wallace's mitochondria (Any Madeline L'Engle fans?) Anyway, I love it. I'm most famous for my love of Harry Potter. I love him. I once stumped the 20 questions machine at Borders with "Venomous Tentacula". So, I guess this quirk could be filed under "Huge Dork".

3- I'm lazy. If you were my roommate, you know this. However, I am savvy about it. I won't ask you to get me a drink until you get up. I might be lazy, but I'm patient. Or how about my old standard, stand next to you and distract you with conversation while you perform a task that I don't want to...like make a PB & J sandwich for me (Sorry Tara, I really appreciate you doing that!)Unfortunately, my husband sees through me so my lazy days are about to be through.

4- I hate calling... anyone. Pizza man, bank, family members, it doesn't matter who. There's just something about picking up the phone that I hate. Oh man, and if I'm calling a person I've never met...I can put a phone call off for weeks. I make people call for chinese food. I even made my mother pretend to be me to make a Doctors appointment. Point is-I have a problem.

5- I don't like washing my hands OR putting on lotion. You can think I'm dirty. I don't like getting wet and especially the moisture that hangs out around your rings. I like to think I'm building up my immune system by exposing myself to all sorts of germs and viruses. (I mean, if you had an infant I would wash them...but for little else) And lotion? I could have a scaly red patch the size of Minnesota, I'm not putting it on! Can't really explain this one away, this is truly a quirk.

6- Con-fron-ta-tion. I avoid it at all costs. I won't tell you I'm mad. I might even lie about it. And let's hope you're not mad at me... because then I'll avoid you. For as long as it takes really. This applies to anything. If my pizza wasn't good, I'm not going to tell the waitress! Why bother her about it! If my wedding cake was hot pink? Hey, I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings! It's kind of an illness. Ironic when you think my best friend has a degree in conflict and dispute resolution.

7- This is my deepest, darkest, secret. And I hate to reveal it, because there may be repercussions. Alright. Here it goes. I think my stuffed animals can read my mind. I mean, of course they can, if they are going to protect me they must communicate with telepathy...making them able to read...my...mind. Have I gone too far? Sorry Barnabus, can you ever forgive me?

Will you still be my friend? I told you it would be pretty crazy!
Love, Kaley

Oh, and I'd guess I'd better tag Jenny B to share her quirks! Like eating a bowl full of broccoli at bible study :)

You're a mean one...

If I could describe my teacher persona I would have to borrow some words from that Venerable Dr. Seuss

You're a monster, Mr. Grinch.
Your heart's an empty hole.
Your brain is full of spiders,
You've got garlic in your soul.
Mr. Grinch.

Or maybe even these words:

Your soul is an apalling dump heap overflowing
with the most disgraceful assortment of deplorable
rubbish imaginable,
Mangled up in tangled up knots.

Now whether you choose to believe that or that I sing Disney songs to children at recess and hand out hugs for free-it's up to you. But whatever you believe, the children did something to make my heart grow four sizes this day!
Nick's roommate hadn't gotten any written letters at OCS yet. Now, they've been there for 8 weeks now and Nick gets 2-3 letters a week. So I decided the class should write him some letters. Now, besides the usual riff raff (Do you brush your teth? Do you like wearing youniforms? Sorry you don't get many letters!) there were some gems in the bunch. And like I said, they caused my black heart to melt.
And I quote:
" My mom is in the navy. She workds on boats. She went over seas last year. So I now what is like. Being away from someone you love. Also, please write back"

No the spelling is real, not a typo. Couldn't you just clutch your heart with the bittersweetness of it all??Next up:

"Thank you for serving my country. I am very thankful for the people who are taking care of the country. Every Thanksgiving my family prays for the people in the army and this Thanksgiving I will tell them to pray for you. How long do you plan on serving in the army? Do you have to go to college to be in the army? Tell everybody I say thanks!"

Seriously? That child is the reason I haven't become a lunatic. She's kind of like my Cindy Lou Who. Now, honestly, you can't expect me just to leave off with a heartwarming story like so! It just wouldn't be me. My Jehovah's witness friend told me that someone called Jehovah a weenie! A weenie? Really? Well, you third grade bully-you are a total dweeb compared to the almighty and powerful, omniscient, all knowing, awesome God of the universe! ( I mean I think we're talking about the same God-who knows with the J.W.'s) I did feel awkward telling him it was my birthday. I mean, I didn't want to upset him with talk of celebrations and what not! Then I sat through a painful data meeting. Why didn't SU offer a course on MSA/Benchmark data analysis. Perhaps I shall contact the Alumni association and inform them of the University's lack of judgement. Proficient, advanced, basic. Blah, blah, blah. It's all greek to me! (Okay, I'm exaggerating, but you can't read this and think I'm not dramatic and whiny!) So, off I go. It's parent day tomorrow. So help me if I add up anything wrong in math class tomorrow. Pray for me?

Love, Kaley

On How Teaching Third Grade is like "The Hills"

For all you Hills haters out there, occasionally while watching my favorite guilty pleasure, I have a breakthrough. I was thinking about similarities between my students and the characters on the The Hills. Well, I have two friends who are just like Heidi and Lauren! They used to be friends, but now they are arch enemies. And (Lets call her Sally) Sally is someone who I can not stand and is always causing drama. "She took my binder and won't give it back" IS just like when Heidi and Spencer spread that sex tape rumor!


Now my friends Melinda and Sporty Spice (Have you caught on that I am using fake names?)were instant friends, just like Lauren and Whitney. They have similar interests (Behaving, being dilligent with classwork) just like Lauren and Whitney did (fashion, being from California). Melinda has a boy who sits behind her who she cavorts around the playground with 24/7. I can't tell, are they friends, or something more? Doesn't that remind you of Lauren and Brody?? Okay and last but not least there is my class Spencer. This kid is always trying to get OUT of trouble when he just needs to stop getting INTO it! No, please don't convince me that you didn't push him or didn't tell her she "Smelled like trash". To avoid trouble in the future, just stop! Yeah, Spencer and the playboy bunnies season 2 anyone?
So just when you thought "The Hills" was vapid and annoying I stand to argue- it is educational!

And just for fun I found this really awful picture of Heidi and Spencer to spice up the night!

Love, Kaley

Conglomeration of Thoughts

Well, I just took a step in an adult direction. I bought some budgeting software. I'm not going to lie...it was confusing. I'm going to have to play with it this weekend when I have about 4 hours to mess with software. I'd just like to tell the financial crisis that it can't scare me, I've got budgeting software now! How do you like them apples??

I've been on a steady diet. My awful class caused me to gain five pounds from stress eating. Yeah,my misery is causing me to be a fatty faterson. Or am I miserable because I'm fat? (just kidding) In high school I used to say "hota ka" Like, J/K (text language for just kidding) but in espanol. I think that's the main reason I was so popular at good old SRHS. I got invited to all the cool parties-where everyone went "hota ka" to one another. I heard that BFF is being replaced by BFFl, Best friends for life. Honestly, I prefer HLM, hetero life mate. Nick can text sometimes from OCS, so now I feel like a teenager. I hate texting, I had pride in hating it and not knowing how to do it. I am always making sacrifices for that man!

Quick stories from the classroom: On Veteran's Day a retired Navy Officer came in to talk with us. He brought a model of the sub he was on. Real life question "Did a shark ever bite through your sub and attack you?" and also "My dad wears a uniform and is a security guard at the mall, so he's in the military" Sometimes I wonder what goes on in children's heads. I think I'm going to stuff cotton in one side of their head so the information can't just slide right out. I mean, have I mentioned that my class believes that I almost won American Idol? Suckahs... Well, I guess it's not their fault that I am gifted with a heavenly alto and naturally persuasive speech. 
I re found this song the other day, a song I often tortured my BFFL Tara with in college. Please check it out all you HP fans.

Love, Kaley

I am not good at producing headings for this blog

Here it is, another night, I'm exhausted and I can't sleep. I don't think I've gone to bed at a normal time since he left. I've resorted to reading "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot about a benevolent Yorkshire veteranarian who does a lot of...I guess you have to read and find out. Anyway Nick had Veteran's Day off and had a two hour break. I missed his call because I was sitting in a Math meeting about open ended questions. You know: Instead of 50 + 50 you say "I have 100. What are two numbers I could use to find the sum of 100" Yes, that will solve all of our questions. Watch out Singapore, Here come the mighty open ended US of A. Anyway, so I was pretty bummed about that. I could have really used a good ole' chat with the hubby.
AND I've had a crappy attitude since, lets say, around, hmmm, Sept 21 when he left. I will try and think of some pro's to his absence. Absence makes the heart grow fonder. My hair is longer than when he left. I have several new pairs of retail therapy pants. Come to think of it I DO feel better now!
Okay, so my cable box is broken. What do I love/loathe more? Do I love cable more than I loathe calling strangers? And you would think I have an instant solution to this since my bro is the guy who fields calls from angry Comcast costumers...but no one has been able to get in touch with him for like 2 weeks. (Marshall, please contact me and reassure me of your safety if you read this blog...) And I'm mostly afraid that someone will come in and be like..."You are dumb. It is just unplugged" And I can't find the iPod charger. I haven't looked that hard, but I can't find it. I was a woman who was born to need a man. Or a caretaker. Do you think I could get a nanny like in that movie "Ms. Pettigrew lives for a day"? I could call her my "social secretary", but everyone would know that was a rouse!!! She'd be like "Today you have to call Tara and talk about hemlines" "Tomorrow you have an appointment with your couch" "Don't forget to hang out with your cat all weekend"
The children have not been awful. In fact, I have only felt mildly annoyed by them lately, but I've been making them take a lot of tests...I had my 90210 Tuesday with my teacher friend Sarah, that gets us through the week at school, watching rich teenage make out drama. I will make it!
Love, Kaley

Husband Update!

Sometimes I find myself struck with insomnia because I miss my husband. It just makes me restless. Tonight I have already read one book cover to cover, watched "The Soup", and looked at a lot of old pictures I left on my parents computer (Staying with the parents tonight).

Nick had a stroke of good luck and was allowed access to a computer today. So he sent me some pictures that were stored on the OCS data files in the computer lab. This first one is him... frog marching (?) through the hallway. I think the Drill Instructor looks pretty intense. (Nick's the first guy on the left if you can't recognize him bald!)

This one is of his uniform inspection on Thursday. They check over their uniforms (look at how shiny his shoes are!) and ask them knowledge questions as well! (Nick is the one getting his collar inspected)The only other time I have seen Nick's hair in this state was my junior year after I had just met him. I was looking at a Broadneck High School yearbook from his sophmore year, and his hair was this short. I remember being shocked. I have to say I think my hubby is looking pretty lithe and intense in these pictures.

Thought you'd like the update!

Kaley

PS As I write and proofread my blogs I'm constantly picking out contractions, compound words, words in a series, homophones, suffixes, prefixes, base words etc. etc. The curse of teaching parts of speech I guess!

Rambling

I have a few random thoughts today. First thought comes from school and being a teacher and watching Judge Judy. I bet all my kids would behave if I was as fierce as J. Judy. So, these parents gave their 8 year old a b.b. gun. And he shot up his neighbors trailer and shed. The parents had to be taken to court b/c they would not admit he did it. Okay, why can't people accept that children are stupid? I'm not being negative, I'm just putting it out there. Once my brother filled a spray bottle with lemonade and proceeded to coat the walls of his room with a thin spritz of sugary lemonade. Mom only discovered this when dust started sticking to the walls. Stupid. Another example, everyday I spend as a teacher. Only children think like children. I believe at a certain age you lose the ability to rationalize like a child, which is awesome news or else we would all decide to eat a healthy breakfast of Doritos and be obsessed with hand held pencil sharpeners and the Jonas Brothers. That kid was like "I wonder what would happen if I shot my b.b. gun at this metal shed..." Parents: You're kid is stupid, just like all children. Punish him and move on. Even more embarrassing... this lady was a teacher. She should have known. Oh well.
Next, there are a lot of coin collecting commercials on TV...and I watch a lot of it. So you can trust me on this. Nothing replaces a husband like cable programming. Back to coin collecting-it made me think that I don't collect anything and I literally thought to myself "If something happened to Nick, I would collect cats" and I know this to be true because when I drove by the SPCA and it said "We are at Cat-pacity" ( Witty witty animal crusaders!) I've been thinking, I wish I could save a cat, and save myself from this run on sentence.
Also, when Nick and I were dating, all I could look forward to is marriage. It was kind of fun to sit and dream and plan. Now I'm all married and alone and devoid of a life plan. Which is okay. Really it is. I was just feeling a little nostalgic, that's all!
Please forgive me for my rambling, run-on, and random blog entry.
Love, Kaley

In the Navy

My husband bought an iPhone. For various reasons... emailing, GPS, and other Navy-tastic reasons. This is why I am glad that Nick bought an iPhone: proof that he still exists!

Nick is doing awesome at OCS. He is acing tests, getting in top physical condition, and having a great and positive attitude while doing it.

He just got his OCS nickname. He was standing in the hallway and all of a sudden he saw a second story window fly open and his Drill Instructor throwing uniforms out of said window. He thought "Sucks for that person"...until his tennis shoes came flying out. He had forgotten to lock his wardrobe and so it was emptied into the courtyard via the window. His nickname:Masterlock. Folks, I am so proud to have a husband who can keep a good humor up while training to serve his country. I miss him more than I could ever put into words. It's hard to not have your biggest cheerleader and best friend around. But I could learn a few things from his upbeat attitude and pride in serving the USA. I love my husband. I miss my husband. But mostly, I am proud of my husband.

Here's to you Nick!

-Kaley